Erin, world's most dangerous poet, teacher who assigns too much reading and not enough Jimi, bourbon connoisseur, Impressive Clergyman and all-around swell dame, has tagged me, y'all. The mission, should I choose to accept it (and I do): to write about certain topics in blocks of 8. Here's the results:

8 passions in my life:

Comics - even the long underwear stuff that intellectual nerds like me aren't supposed to likeGreat breakfasts on Saturday mornings (and Sundays, too)Creating the perfect pot of chiliThe oddball roadside attractions and greasy-spoon diners of AmericaArt - makin' it, lookin' at it, talkin' about it, thinkin' about it...Reading the first page/paragraph/sentence of a book that makes you realize right off the bat that it's going to be greatLooking up at the sky and every time coming to the strangely-always-new realization that the universe is far more vast than my mind can possibly comprehend, and I am correspondingly far more tiny than my egotistical human brain can possibly comprehend (all of which happens pretty much every time I do this). Astronomy, in other wordsGoing along with that last one, sitting around a campfire and drinking ("which really hasn't been topped in several millennia of development of leisure activities." - my brudder).

8 things to do before I die:

Publish my comics (in book form, preferably not at a vanity publisher)SkydiveClimb Mt. FujiQualify for and run the Boston MarathonWin a chili cookoffOwn a show-worthy '67 VW BeetleAppear on "Jeopardy!"Own a big hunk of ground someplace in Wyoming or Montana

8 things I often say:

"Those're swell!""Oh, for fuck's sake...""Meep?""The waiting game sucks. Let's play Hungry Hungry Hippos!""What do you want for dinner?""Let's shall.""You're a kitty!" [or any other of an ever-increasing number of inane things we say to our cats on a regular basis]"I like pie."

8 books I read recently:

"The Android's Dream" by John Scalzi"Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters" by Courtney E. Martin"Book One: Work, 1986-2006" by Chip Kidd"Empire of Ivory" by Naomi Novik"The Lies of Locke Lamora" by Scott Lynch"The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl" by Barry Lyga"A Feast for Crows" by George R.R. Martin"The Hobbit" by JRR Tolkien (for the millionth time)

8 songs that mean something to me:

"If I Had $1,000,000" by Barenaked Ladies"Particle Man" by They Might Be Giants"What Would You Say" by the Dave Matthews Band"In the Garage" by Weezer"Watchin' the Wheels" by John Lennon"Yeah" by Usher"Uncle John's Band" by the Grateful Dead"Take it Easy" by the Eagles

8 qualities I look for in a friend:

Sense of humorGood tippersHas at least one good drink he or she makes very well or knows a lot aboutLikes playing games of some sort - not necessarily D&D or nerdy boardgames with hundreds of parts and thousands of rules, tho those are nice; the ability to play and enjoy poker or gin or cribbage will do just fineShares willingly and happilyBut on the other hand, doesn't drink all my boozeIs awesome in some way shape or formKnows the proper response to "I'll be careful..."*